Under a Silver Moon
by Yami Alchemist
Summary: Yugi's quiet, shy and a bully magnet. Atem is the school's local outcast and supposed "witch." Will a close encounter with death on Yugi's part bring these two together? AU, AxY Not Anzu Yaoi
1. An Ordinary Day?

This is one of the new stories I'm hopefully going to be working on! The plot bunny smacked me upside the head pretty hard with this idea, and I really couldn't ignore it.

Just a little information here: In this story, both men and women are referred to as witches. Just because I didn't want to use the word wizard. Ahhh, the power of being an author. XD

Enjoy!

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><p>An Ordinary Day?<p>

Yugi Mutou pressed his back up against the back wall of the classroom fearfully. Slipping across the room, he slowly made his way towards his desk as he tried to be as inconspicuous as possible, which was very difficult given how he looked. Yugi had spiky multi-colored hair and wide violet eyes. Surrounding his innocent looking eyes were pale blond bangs that contrasted greatly to the majority of his jet black hair with astonishing purple tips. The color and shape of his hair as well as his eyes was completely normal, yet most people thought he dyed his hair and wore contacts. He was shorter than people normally were for his age, which only made things worse. He was 17, but looked like he was merely 12. He prayed to every god he knew that he wouldn't be noticed at least until he made it to his seat. He'd be safe there if he could only make it. Glancing around fearfully, he noticed that no one was paying attention to him and he darted towards his desk in the corner of the room.

Upon reaching the desk without being noticed, he breathed a sigh of relief and plopped down. Resting his face in his hands, he willed his body to stop shaking. Every day it was the same routine. Slip into the room, slide along the wall, dart to his desk. If he was lucky, no one would notice. If he wasn't, the most he prayed would happen was somebody tripped him. More often than not, though, someone would trip him and then kick his books so they scattered all over the place. Today was one of his lucky days, it seemed. A hush fell over the classroom, but Yugi didn't bother looking up. It happened every day, so it wasn't something unusual. The reason for the sudden hush was Atem Raziel, Yugi's "look-a-like." Atem was the school's outcast. He stood a few inches taller than Yugi, but was still shorter than normal. He had sharp blood-red eyes that seemed infinitely wiser than should be for his age. His hair was the same spiky multi-colored style as Yugi's, but instead of purple tips, his were a deep crimson color. He didn't speak very often, but when he had to, his voice was a silky baritone.

He was also a witch.

Or so people said. Yugi didn't really believe it. Granted, he couldn't really prove that he _wasn't_, but witches were something from fairytales. They didn't exist in his mind and so he didn't believe that Atem was one. Regardless of what he believed, the rest of the school was convinced of Atem's supposed witch status, and as a result, the older boy had even less friends than Yugi did. Which, suffice to say, was none, since Yugi only had one person he could call a friend. The teacher walked into the room and started talking, ending Yugi's internal thoughts. The small boy sighed and turned his attention out the window. If he was lucky, he'd escape unscathed today and make it home in one piece.

The last bell of the day rang and Yugi scrambled out of his seat. Zigzagging through the crowd of students, he reached his locker and quickly opened it. Throwing his books inside and grabbing what he needed, he slammed it shut and took off at a fast run. If he was able to get out of the school by the time the bullies reached the front door…

"Hey Yugi," a sickly sweet voice called to him and Yugi's heart froze in his chest in fear. Standing right next to the door was possibly the biggest bully in the school. Ushio. Yugi looked around frantically for an escape route, but the wall of students behind him kept bumping into him, pushing him towards Ushio. He had just made up his mind to try and duck under Ushio and escape through the doors, when two big meaty hands grabbed his jacket and lifted him up off the ground. He squirmed in Ushio's grip, trying fruitlessly to get away. Ushio merely tightened his grip and continued speaking, "You and I need to have a little talk, wimp. And I know the perfect place to talk."

Yugi fought down the whimper that threatened to escape his throat and doubled his efforts to get away. Ushio grabbed his wrists and dragged him out of the school and behind it, near the gym. Yugi struggled the entire way, fear making him stronger than he usually was, but not strong enough to get away from the giant bully. Ushio released him and threw him up against the wall, knocking the air out of Yugi's lungs, making him cough in an attempt to regain his breath. Pain seared up the back of his head where it came in contact with the harsh bricks of the building. He reached up and gently prodded the area to check for blood. When his hand came back clean, he thanked any deity he could for that small miracle. Glancing around nervously, he tried to figure out a way that he could get away from Ushio, but before he could even try, Ushio wrapped his hand around Yugi's neck and held him in place. Yugi looked up at him, his eyes full of fear, as Ushio grinned maliciously down at him and said, "What's the matter, Yugi? Afraid?"

He slowly started to squeeze Yugi's neck, strangling him. Yugi's hands flew up to scratch uselessly at Ushio's hands as he choked for air. Ushio gave out a twisted laugh, "Did you forget, wimp? I told you to have the money for me today. I don't see you with any money, so I'm going to assume you don't have any. I think that means you deserve a beating, don't you think, Yugi?"

The lack of oxygen made Yugi's movements slow and uncontrolled. Ushio didn't bother waiting for an answer to either of his questions. Instead, he released Yugi's throat and punched him in the stomach. Yugi doubled over and coughed hard, blood splattering against Ushio's shoes as he struggled to breath in air. Ushio glared down in disgust at his shoes before grabbing the back of Yugi's neck and pushing him hard down onto the ground, crushing Yugi's face into the cement. Yugi struggled as much as he could, but his brain was still trying to get oxygen, so his movements were sluggish. Ushio grabbed a fist full of his hair and yanked him up before punching Yugi in the face. Blood splattered against the wall as Yugi's head snapped around from the force and he fought not to lose consciousness. Ushio shoved him into the wall face first, holding him there by the back of his head as he said darkly, "These were a very good pair of shoes. I should kill you for getting blood on them. You know, I think I will. First you don't bring me my money, and then you get blood on my shoes."

He released Yugi, who slumped to the ground, panting hard as he looked blearily up at Ushio. His mind processed what Ushio was saying, but the panic didn't hit him until a few seconds later. Curling up into a ball, he stared fearfully up at the bully, who was grinning down at him. Yugi's eyes widened even more when Ushio leered at him and said, "I might let you live… if you give me a good enough reason to. And I think using your body any way I want would be a very good reason."

Yugi whimpered and shakily stood up as he backed up against the wall. Ushio reached for him and he tried to duck under the brute's arms and run away. He moved too slow and Ushio caught him around his waist, throwing him to the ground. Yugi struggled as Ushio straddled his hips and pinned his wrists above his head. He turned his head to the side when Ushio leaned down next to his face. The bully's breath reeked of alcohol as he licked up Yugi's neck, his hands pulling at Yugi's clothes. Tears leaked down Yugi's face as he lashed out with his legs, not phasing Ushio at all. The bully's hand tore open Yugi's shirt and made their way down to his pants, roughly tearing the button open as he tried to reach into the smaller one's pants.

"Leave him alone!"

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><p>Yes, short chapter, I know. Also a cliff hanger as well. Sue me.<p>

Wynter: Though, we'd rather you review instead. You're lucky, you won't have to wait for the next chapter since we already have it written.

Yes, well, I didn't feel like leaving it off there. Especially since I know someone'll probably throw rotten fruit at me if I do.

Wynter: So on with the next chapter then!

Jaa!


	2. Help in an Unlikely Form

And here's chapter 2! This one is much longer than the last one.

Hopefully you'll all enjoy it and no one will throw rotten food at me this way! :)

Enjoy!

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><p>Help in an Unlikely Form<p>

Ushio paused as he turned to look at person who yelled at him. His eyes widened and he scrambled off of Yugi, running the opposite way of the voice. Yugi coughed weakly as he shook his head from side to side in a daze. He was slowly losing the fight to stay conscious, trying desperately to see who had stopped Ushio from harming him. The sound of hurried footsteps reached his ears and he gazed up into worried crimson eyes, his mind barely recognizing who it was before he passed out. A frantic voice echoed in his head as he welcomed the relieving darkness, "Stay with me, Yugi. You're going to be okay."

Atem picked Yugi up gently and hurried towards the infirmary as quickly as he could without hurting the smaller boy even worse. Anger flared inside of him as he took in the scratches and cuts that littered the little one's face and chest, but he pushed the emotion aside. Yugi was more important at the moment. Kicking the door to the infirmary open, he rushed inside as he called out for help. The nurse came running and took one look at Yugi before instructing Atem to lay him down onto one of the various beds. Carefully, Atem lay Yugi down and retreated out of the Nurse's way as she began doing what she could for Yugi. The anger from earlier came back and flowed freely through Atem's veins as he watched her work. He wanted to go and tear Ushio limb from limb, but he knew it wouldn't help. Granted he didn't know Yugi very well, but he knew that the younger boy didn't deserve what had happened. Yugi was one of the sweetest people he knew, treating even him with kindness and respect, despite his so called reputation. Atem closed his eyes and repeated a mantra in his head as he attempted to focus on anything besides the anger coursing through him. He was so focused on getting rid of the anger that he didn't hear the nurse calling name.

"Mr. Raziel?" she said quietly. A frown crossing her face when she realized he wasn't paying attention, "Mr. Raziel."

Atem's eyes snapped open and he looked at her, worry evident in his eyes. She motioned for him to follow her. Walking over to her desk, she sat down and asked sternly, "What happened?"

Atem sagged down into one of the chairs and replied hoarsely, "I was on my way home when I heard a noise out by the gym. I went to see what it was when I found Yugi pinned under Ushio. It looked like he was going to…" he paused as a wave of anger coursed through him. Roughly pushing the emotion aside, he continued, "Was going to rape him."

A gasp escaped the nurse's lips as her eyes widened in horror. Atem looked over at Yugi, who was resting peacefully on the bed. His anger returned once more and he gripped the arms of the chair, his knuckles turning white from the force. He vaguely heard the nurse murmur something about calling the principal as he fought to control himself. He would have loved nothing more than finding Ushio and beating him to a bloody pulp, but the rational part of his mind reminded him that it wouldn't do any good. Gritting his teeth, he squashed down his anger just in time for the nurse to hang up the phone and say, "The principal will be down here shortly. I need to wake him up in case he has a concussion."

She stood up and pulled a small packet of smelling salts out of a drawer before going over to the bed. Atem wandered behind her and sat down in one of the chairs near Yugi's bed. Ripping the packet open, the nurse waved it under Yugi's nose, waiting a few moments before a small groan was heard. Yugi blinked his eyes open and stared confusingly up into the nurse's concerned eyes. She tossed the packet into to the garbage and asked softly, "How are you feeling, Yugi?"

"Like I got hit by a semi," he replied as he screwed his eyes shut against the glaring light. The egg sized bump on his head making itself known thanks to the bright lights. Blinking rapidly, he asked, "What happened?"

"You were attacked," she replied as she set about checking his vitals.

Everything that happened came rushing back to Yugi and he sat up with a painful gasp, "Ushio!"

"Is going to be expelled," the principal said as she came through the door. Her green eyes cold as she took in the extensive bandages on Yugi's body.

"He is?" Yugi asked as he frowned at her in confusion.

"Yes," Miss Xaviar replied as she approached the bed. Resting a hand on Atem's shoulder, she continued, "He tried to rape you. If given the chance, he might have even killed you. Atem managed to prevent that when he saw what was going on."

It was then that Yugi noticed Atem. The older boy was watching him, worry, relief and anger warring in his eyes. Even though he couldn't explain it, Yugi felt a blush creep up his cheeks at the careful gaze. He gave a small shy smile and nodded at Atem as he said sincerely, "Thank you."

Atem merely nodded his head as he relaxed into the chair, the anger visibly melting away as he continued to watch the smaller boy. Yugi forced himself to stop staring into Atem's captivating gaze and chose to focus instead on the principal as he asked, "What's going to happen to me?"

"Well, I think at the current moment, you should probably go home and rest. I'll give you the week off to heal up and get better," she replied with a kind smile on her face. Releasing Atem's shoulder, she ruffled Yugi's hair fondly, "Atem will go with you to make sure you make it home okay. I don't want to see you back here until next Monday, alright?"

Yugi opened his mouth to protest, but one look from all three of them had him nodding in agreement as he replied with a sigh, "Okay."

"Good," Miss Xaviar replied with a definite nod of her head. Turning, she narrowed her eyes in anger as she strode toward the doors of the infirmary, "Now, to go find Ushio and expel him."

Once she was gone, the nurse walked over to a cabinet and pulled out a small little bottle. Inside the bottle were tiny white pills. Popping the cap open, she shook two out and handed them and a glass of water to Yugi, "These will keep the pain away until you're able to go home. You didn't break anything, thankfully. Just managed to get pretty bruised and cut up. You should start feeling better in a few days, but you're probably going to need to take some aspirin between now and then."

Yugi nodded and swallowed the medicine, grateful when they kicked in a few minutes later and the pounding in his head receded exponentially. Gingerly, he stood up, swaying lightly from the sudden dizziness. He didn't realize that Atem had appeared next to him until he felt the older boy's hand on his elbow. The dizziness slowly faded and he nodded when he felt he could stand on his own. Atem released his elbow, but stood close by in case he felt like he was going to fall. Yugi smiled gratefully at him and the two slowly left the infirmary. They stopped long enough to grab their things from the secretary in the principal's office before leaving. Thankfully all of the students had long since left, so the two weren't bothered as they slowly walked towards the game shop. Atem hovered close to his side, keeping a close eye on him in case he felt like he was going to pass out. He kept glancing at the other boy out of the corner of his eye, nervousness making his stomach flutter uneasily. He wasn't sure what to think of Atem. They rarely spoke, except when the teacher paired them together in class, and yet, he had saved him from Ushio. It confused Yugi because, while he knew Atem didn't exactly hate him, he also knew they weren't friends either. Adding to that that the supposed school's "witch" was the one to save him just made him all the more confused.

Atem's thoughts were in a similar array of confusion. He knew he had simply reacted when he saw Ushio trying to rape Yugi, but that didn't explain why he hadn't just taken Yugi to the infirmary and left him there. Atem wasn't the kind of person to talk to anyone, mostly because of the fact that people feared him. It was no surprise to him when Ushio had run away. Everyone feared him because of the fact that he was a "witch." He mentally snorted at that thought. They had no idea what they were talking about to begin with, but he never bothered to correct them. It kept the bullies away, so why should he? The only one to treat him relatively human like, besides the teachers, was Yugi. Maybe that's why he stuck around afterward? He shook his head slightly and shrugged. He had no idea why he had stayed, he just had.

Yugi was just about to stop and tell Atem that he could make it the rest of the way by himself when he swayed and almost toppled over. A strong arm wrapped around his waist as a deep baritone voice murmured quietly in his ear, "Careful."

Without really realizing what he was doing, he rested his head against Atem's shoulder and closed his eyes against a wave of dizziness. His hand clutched at his book bag as the world seemingly spun around him. He could feel the medicine he took at the infirmary kick in and take the edge off of most of the pain, but it didn't stop the sick feeling in his stomach. A gentle hand wrapped around his and pulled his book bag from his grasp as Atem simply continued to hold him until the dizziness passed. Once he was feeling somewhat better, he lifted his head and whispered, "Sorry."

"It's okay, little one," Atem replied as he swung Yugi's book bag over his shoulder and tightened his arm around the smaller one's waist, "Think you can continue?"

Yugi nodded as he slowly pulled away from Atem. He had to admit, without his book bag, he felt quite a bit better. He didn't feel like he was going to kiss the ground any time soon, at least. He felt Atem's worried gaze on him and he smiled lightly at the other as he said, "I should be fine. Thank you."

Atem kept looking at him for a few moments, as if to make sure, before he nodded once and said, "You're welcome."

The two started to walk again, albeit a bit slower than before, just in case Yugi felt dizzy again. The silence between them started to get to Yugi and he bit his lip nervously. Atem saw the movement and sighed inaudibly, "Ask whatever you want to ask."

"It's just…" Yugi frowned and shot Atem a small glance before looking determinedly at the side walk, "Why did you help me? Most people would have just laughed at me and kept walking. That's what normally happens when I'm getting beat up."

"I'm not like everyone else," Atem replied immediately. He gazed up at the sky in thought for a few moments before continuing, "I don't like bullies. I usually do everything I can to avoid them, but when I saw what Ushio was going to do to you…"

He trailed off as anger clouded his thoughts. The overwhelming desire to just go and make Ushio a part of the side walk was still very strong and it was taking all he could do not to act on that desire. He knew it would only cause more trouble, but he couldn't help himself! The image of Ushio bent over Yugi, tearing his shirt open while the younger one struggled kept appearing in his head and he felt disgust and anger all over again. He clenched his fists and stared angrily at the ground as hatred swarmed through him like a vicious drug. He was so caught up in his thoughts and his anger that he didn't realize Yugi had stopped walking until the other touched his shoulder. He whipped his head up and stared at Yugi, the other just smiling softly at him as he said, "Hey, I'm okay, thanks to you. There's no need to get so angry."

"Why aren't you more upset?" Atem asked as he frowned, genuine confusion gracing his features.

Yugi shrugged and started walking again, "It really hasn't hit me yet. I'll probably be upset later when it does."

Atem nodded thoughtfully and followed behind him, lost back in his thoughts. Though, they weren't as angry now.

Yugi took the chance to study the older boy. He seemed really nice and caring, so he couldn't figure out why people didn't want to be friends with him. Sure, his reputation was a problem, but besides that, there wasn't really anything to stop him from having friends. Not that Yugi could really say much, since his only friend was Tea Gardner, and he was reluctant to call that a friendship. Nonetheless, he had someone he could talk to. Atem didn't have anyone. Pulling himself from his thoughts, he gave a small sigh and searched around for something that could distract both himself and Atem. He finally shrugged and asked, "Do you like games?"

Atem raised an eyebrow at the seemingly random question as he nodded and said, "Yeah."

"What's your favorite game?" Yugi asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Atem tilted his head and thought over the question for a few moments before replying, "Duel Monsters at the current moment."

"Really?" Yugi asked eagerly as he looked over at Atem, a large smile on his face as he did so, "Favorite monster?"

"Hmmm…" Atem said as he fought not to laugh at the kitten like curiosity that Yugi was exhibiting, "I guess I'd have to say Dark Magician."

Yugi paused and tilted his head as he looked at Atem. The older boy shifted uncomfortably and Yugi nodded his head, "It fits. Kurioboh is by favorite."

Atem chuckled and returned Yugi's smile, "I can see why. Cute and fluffy, just like you."

Yugi blushed at being called cute, but squeaked rather unmanly like as he tried to look angry, "I'm not fluffy!"

Atem couldn't help himself. Instead of looking angry, Yugi just looked like he was pouting, which made him all the more cute. Atem started to laugh and it only served to make Yugi pout even more. The older boy laughed so hard that he had to stop and catch his breath. The entire time he laughed, Yugi shot daggers at him with his eyes and pretended to ignore him. Atem finally stopped and smiled at the annoyed look on Yugi's face, "I'm sorry, little one, but I couldn't help it."

"I'm not little," Yugi murmured as he pouted, a smile fighting to erupt on his face and he all but stalked away.

Atem merely shook his head and followed after Yugi, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. The two rounded the corner and the game shop came in sight, causing Atem to fall quiet. He had accomplished what the principal wanted him to, but he was kind of sad knowing he and Yugi probably weren't going to talk ever again after this. He was surprised when he realized that he didn't want to stop talking to Yugi, but the other boy probably wouldn't want to be seen around someone like him. Yugi silently watched Atem out of the corner of his eye, his heart wrenching at the sad look that flittered over Atem's face. He also didn't want to stop talking to the older boy, but he wasn't sure how to just come out and say that. Would Atem get offended with him for wanting to spend more time together? He had a feeling he wouldn't, but why would Atem want to hang around a weakling like he was?

Both boys' thoughts turned darker until they reached the game shop door. Yugi hesitated for just a moment before asking, "Would you like to come in?"

Atem shook his head. He really should be going, since he had a lot of homework to do and his parents wouldn't like it if he was out later than expected. He smiled slightly and said, "Thanks, but I need to get home."

"Alright," Yugi replied, trying to hide the disappointment in his voice. He rested his head on the door handle and debated inwardly with himself. The two said their goodbyes and Atem turned around to head back down the street. The internal debate Yugi was having quickly reached a conclusion and he turned quickly, calling out to Atem before the other could disappear around the corner.

Atem paused and turned around, raising an eyebrow at Yugi as if to ask what he wanted. Yugi smiled and asked, "Would you like to come over tomorrow after school? We could duel each other and see who's better."

Atem thought about it and weighed his options. He could say no and go back to pretending like nothing had happened, or go over to Yugi's house and spend some time with the younger student. He didn't find that thought as horrible as he thought he would. Seeing the challenging glint in Yugi's eyes, he grinned and nodded, "Sure, why not?"

Yugi smiled happily, something which Atem noticed made Yugi seem even cuter, and nodded, "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow then."

"See you tomorrow," Atem replied with a small wave before disappearing around the corner.

Yugi fought the happy grin that crossed his face as he opened the door to the shop and let himself him. He shook his head at himself as he called out, "I'm home!"

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><p>*bounces around in excitement*<p>

Wynter: You're weird.

Yep, I know.

Wynter: Please review. They help feed the crazy author.

*bounces off into dreamland* I'm tired. Night everyone!

Jaa!


	3. A Game and a Secret?

Fluff-a-nutter. This chapter contains a little of it. But not as much as the last one.

Okay, warnings. **I did not follow the exact rules of Duel Monsters!** So if you're picky about that kind of thing, skip the duel. Otherwise, deal. I used mostly the cards from Yugi's Battle City deck as well as his and Yami's Dawn of the Duel decks. (Their final duel against each other.) All except Dark Mirror Force, which actually is a real playing card. It does the opposite of Mirror Force. Kinda cool.

I apologize if the duel seems a little forced. I was having a hard time writing it. Which was why this chapter took so long.

I do NOT own Yugioh, the song listed, or NCIS. If I did, I'd be rich. Which I'm not.

Enjoy!

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><p>A game and a secret?<p>

"_A penny for your thoughts, a picture so it lasts…" Delta Goodrem – "Last Night On Earth"_

Atem slowly walked towards the game shop, thoughts swirling confusingly through his mind. He was nervous about going over to Yugi's house because he wasn't sure why Yugi would want to hang out with him. What if Yugi suddenly decided to fear him because of his reputation? What if he got there and Yugi slammed the door in his face? What if… he stopped his train of thoughts and practically growled at himself, "What if the sky turns to fire and your nose falls off?"

Slapping himself upside the back of the head, he immediately felt better. Maybe Gibbs from that show NCIS was onto something there. He mentally shrugged and kept walking, ignoring the strange looks he was getting from the people around him. It wasn't as if he could do much anyways. He already told Yugi he'd show up. Besides, knowing Yugi, the worst that would happen would he'd be told politely that they couldn't talk anymore. The thought saddened him more than it should have and he heaved a heavy sigh. By the time he realized it, he was standing outside of the game shop and debating whether he should knock or not. His fear got to him and he turned to walk away. He got a few steps away before clenching his fists and whirling back around. He determinedly walked over to the door and knocked three times in a row. Just as quickly as it had come, his determination melted away and his nervousness skyrocketed again. This time, though, he couldn't just walk away. He already could hear footsteps heading towards the door. He fingered the small gold chain around his neck as the door opened to reveal Yugi's smiling face, "Atem! Come in, please!"

Part of Atem's nervousness melted away, but it didn't leave entirely as he stepped through the doorway and into the game shop. Yugi shut the door behind him and motioned for him to follow, leading the way through the shop and to a set of stairs behind the counter. The two climbed up the stairs and Yugi called out, "Mom, Grandpa, Atem's here!"

The only warning Atem got before he was wrapped up into an extremely tight hug was the blur of brown that hurled itself at him. He stood stiffly as Yugi's mother proceeded to try and squeeze the life out of him as she muttered over and over again, "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you."

He awkwardly patted her back with one hand as he gasped for air. She heard the gasp and immediately pulled back, wiping her eyes with her sleeve as she did, "Thank you for saving Yugi. We are in your debt."

Atem was slightly alarmed at that as he sucked in a breath of air and said hoarsely, "It was nothing."

"On the contrary," Grandpa said as he walked over to Atem and clapped him rather hard on the back. Atem instinctively took a step forward to avoid falling on his face as Grandpa continued, "It was quite the heroic thing to do, standing up to that bully. If it weren't for you, who knows what would have happened to Yugi."

Said person was smiling apologetically at him and a light blush covered his face as he smiled uncertainly at him. Yugi turned to his grandfather and mother as he said, "Atem and I are going to go play games in my room if you need us."

"Okay, Yugi," his mother said as she headed towards the kitchen, "I'll bring you boys up a snack later."

"Thanks mom!" Yugi exclaimed as he grabbed Atem's hand and dragged him up to his room. Once inside, he slammed the door shut behind them and sagged against it, "I'm sorry about that."

"It's okay, Yugi," Atem said as she smiled softly at the smaller boy.

Yugi shyly smiled back and walked over to his desk to grab his deck. Atem took the time to look around the room. There were toys scattered all over the room, some on the floor, some neatly stacked on shelves. A toy chest in the corner was overflowing with puzzles. On the walls were posters from what he assumed was Yugi's favorite bands. If it weren't for the scattered toys, the room would actually look extremely neat and organized. He glanced at Yugi, who was leaning against his desk on one hand as the other reached for a plain looking box on the shelf above. The t-shirt he was wearing rode up a little and Atem caught sight of a large purple bruise on Yugi's side. His gaze trailed up Yugi's form and took in the finger like bruises around Yugi's neck. The anger he felt yesterday surged back through him and he clenched his fists as he turned his head. His eyes fell shut and he took a deep breath in an effort to calm himself. He had to keep repeating in his head that doing anything to Ushio would only make things worse and that he wasn't worth the effort, or the time in jail. Part of him wanted to say screw it, but the rest of him overruled that part and so he focused on getting rid of his anger by suppressing it. When he had time to himself, he'd deal with it, but for now, he'd just shove it in a box and lock it away. Probably wasn't the healthiest choice he had ever made, but there wasn't much he could do about his anger at the moment. He was so caught up in calming himself, he didn't hear Yugi move until he felt a gentle hand on his arm. His eyes snapped open and looked down into worried violet eyes. The rest of his anger seemingly melted away as Yugi asked quietly, "Are you okay?"

Atem took a deep breath and nodded. Slowly, he raised a hand and traced one of the bruises on Yugi's neck as he murmured quietly, "I'm fine. Just a little angry with Ushio still."

"Don't worry about him," Yugi said as he blushed lightly at the touch. He smiled and grabbed Atem's hand, squeezing it briefly before walking away and plopping down onto his bed, "He already received his punishment. There's nothing else to think about now."

"How can you just let it go like that?" Atem said as he sat down next to Yugi.

Yugi shrugged and opened the box he had grabbed earlier. Pulling out his deck, he set the box aside and said, "I'm alive. He's been expelled. Sure, he tried to hurt me…"

"You mean kill you," Atem growled out.

"But you saved me and I'm fine now," Yugi said as he ignored Atem for the moment. He smiled gently at the other boy as he continued, "I'm just thankful that I'm okay. That's the big thing."

Atem sighed and shook his head. He didn't understand how Yugi could be so calm about the whole thing. If it were him, he'd send Ushio straight to jail for what he did. But perhaps that was the difference between him and Yugi. He shrugged off his coat and reached into the inner pocket, pulling a deck of cards out as he asked, "So Yugi, think you can beat me?"

"I think so," he replied as he turned on his bed and crossed his legs. He shuffled his desk as he grinned mischievously at Atem, "But to make things a bit more interesting, why don't we have a bet?"

"A bet, huh?" Atem said as he shuffled his own deck and handed it to Yugi.

The smaller one nodded as he cut Atem's deck before handing it back to him and said, "If I win, you have to tell me something about yourself."

"And if I win?" Atem asked as he drew five cards.

"I'll do whatever you want," Yugi replied as he grabbed five of his own cards.

Atem blinked and smirked at Yugi as he said, "That's a dangerous thing to bet, little one."

Yugi blushed, but smiled at him. He shrugged a shoulder and gazed determinedly down at his cards, "I'm not worried. You won't hurt me."

Atem made a small noise in the back of his throat as he turned his attention down to his cards. The smirk on his lips grew as he took in the cards he drew. Obnoxious Celtic Guardian, Alpha the Magnet Warrior, Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Mirror Force and Monster Reborn were the five he drew. It was actually a pretty good hand, or so he thought. He looked up at Yugi, the smirk never leaving as he asked, "Shall I go first?"

"Sure," Yugi replied as he glanced up from his cards. He blushed at the confident smirk the other wore and immediately looked back down. The five cards he had drawn were Summoned Skull, Curse of Dragon, Witch of the Black Forest, Swords of Revealing light and Gold Sarcophagus. It wasn't the best hand he had ever drawn, but it wasn't a bad hand either. He mentally shrugged and turned his attention to what Atem was doing. He was determined to win the bet he had placed. He really wanted to know more about the other boy.

"I summon Alpha the Magnet warrior," Atem said as he placed the card on the bed between him and Yugi. They didn't use the normal card mats one uses when playing a duel, but they didn't need to. Both boys knew the game so well that they knew where each card went without having to worry about the mats. He grinned at Yugi as he plucked another card out of his hand, "Then I sacrifice Alpha and summon Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"

Yugi's mouth dropped as Atem placed the card down. He had always heard about the Red-Eyes, but never actually saw one. He never would have expected Atem to have one. He shut his mouth with a snap when Atem chuckled and he glared at the other. Plucking three cards out of his hand, he said, "I summon Gemini Elf to the field. Then I play the spell card Gold Sarcophagus."

Atem watched and frowned. Gold Sarcophagus was a tricky card. It allowed the player to remove one card from play, and if the opponent tried to use that card, it could be stopped. Yugi set the one card to the side in the designated out of play area as he smiled at Atem and said, "You're turn."

Atem drew a card and instantly grinned. He wouldn't have to worry about Yugi's Gold Sarcophagus now that he drew that card. Placing the card face down in the spell and trap card zone, he summoned Obnoxious Celtic Guardian and ended his turn. Yugi drew his next card and smiled as he added it to the other cards he held. Grabbing a different card from his hand, he summoned Curse of Dragon successfully and ended his turn without attacking. Atem drew his next card and the grin on his face widened. He added it to his hand and said, "I use Red-Eyes and attack Gemini Elf. Your life points drop to 3500, Yugi."

Yugi playfully stuck out his tongue as he moved Gemini Elf to the graveyard. Atem merely laughed and he drew his next card. He added it to his hand and then sacrificed Curse of Dragon in order to summon Summoned Skull. He placed the Swords of Revealing Light and the card he just drew, Soul Shield on the field face down before ending his turn. Atem drew his next card, excitement and triumph entering his eyes. He laid his Monster Reborn and Mirror Force cards face down on the field and ended his turn. He sacrificed his Celtic Guardian and summoned the Dark Magician before ending his turn. Yugi bit his lip as he drew his card. A sly smirk crossed his lips as he added the card to his hand and used his Summoned Skull to attack Atem's Red-Eyes. A smirk of his own grew on Atem's face as he flipped over Mirror Force. The smirk dropped from both of their faces when Yugi played his Soul Shield card. Granted, he would have to lose half of his life points, but it kept his Summoned Skull on the field. Atem nodded his head thoughtfully as he said, "Good play, Yugi."

"Thanks," Yugi said as he blushed lightly and set one card face down on the field and one card face up. Atem looked at the face up card and groaned out loud, causing Yugi to ask, "What's the matter, Atem? Have a good card in your hand?"

"Had a good card," he replied as he placed his hand in the graveyard, "Until you played that."

Yugi followed suit and placed his own hand in the graveyard, "I kind of figured, since you were grinning like a cat that ate a canary earlier. I figured Card Destruction would be the easiest way to get rid of it."

"Yeah, yeah," he replied, earning a small giggle out of Yugi. The other clapped a hand over his mouth at the giggle and Atem fought not to laugh himself. He managed to do just that, but couldn't help smiling a little. He ran a finger over his Dark Magician card before continuing, "I use Dark Magician to destroy Summoned Skull. Since they have the same number of attack points, both cards go to the graveyard."

"Not so fast, Atem," Yugi said as he flipped over one of the cards in his spell zone, "I play Dark Mirror Force and destroy all of your attack position monsters."

Atem scooped up both his Dark Magician and Red-Eyes card and placed them in his graveyard. He ended his turn and Yugi drew his next card. He added it to his hand and looked over all of the cards he had drawn earlier when he played Card Destruction. He grabbed the Mystical Elf card and summoned her. Taking a page from Atem's book, he sacrificed her in order to summon the Buster Blader card he had just drawn. Atem winced when Yugi used his Summoned Skull to attack him directly and drop his life points down to 1500. Yugi was turning out to be a formidable player and he wondered if hadn't doubted the smaller boy too soon. His life points were already below what Yugi's were and if he wasn't careful, the other might actually win in the next turn or two. Atem drew his card and added it to his hand as he considered them thoughtfully. One of the cards he had placed on the field caught his eye and he suddenly smiled as he said, "I play Heavy Storm and destroy all of your spell and trap cards, including your Gold Sarcophagus. I then play Monster Reborn and bring back Dark Magician. Your move."

Yugi cleared his spell zone before drawing another card. He quickly thought over the situation when the solution hit him square in the face. He smiled largely at Atem as he said, "My move and the end of the game. I use Summoned Skull to destroy your Dark Magician, sending them both to the graveyard. Then I use Buster Blader in a direct attack and destroy the rest of your life points."

Atem's mouth dropped in shock as he stared at Yugi. He had more than just doubted the smaller look-a-like, he had totally misjudged him. Yugi totally and completely destroyed him and within just a few turns too! Yugi collapsed backwards against his pillow as he laughed hard at Atem's shocked expression. He couldn't help himself. Atem looked like someone had just told him that Duel Monsters was no longer going to be made. Tears started to gather in the corner of Yugi's eyes as he wrapped his arms around his stomach and fought to stop laughing. By the time he got himself under control, Atem and shut his mouth and was looking at him with amusement dancing clearly in his eyes. He giggled sheepishly as he sat up and smiled shyly, "Sorry, Atem. Your reaction was just too funny."

"I'm glad I amused you so," Atem replied, a tiny smile gracing his features as he continued, "I'm rarely beaten when it comes to Duel Monsters. Even my cousin Kaiba has yet to beat me."

Yugi straightened and stared at Atem in disbelief as he asked, "Kaiba? As in Kaiba Corps' Kaiba?"

"Yes," Atem said as he nodded, a knowing look entering his eyes.

Yugi slumped back against his pillows as he continued to look at Atem. Who knew that the school's outcast was related to one of the most famous game designers in the world? He shook his head as he murmured softly, "Wow…"

Atem gathered up his cards as he said, "Now then. You won, which means I'm supposed to tell you something about myself. Anything in particular that you want to know?"

Of course there was something in particular that Yugi wanted to know. He wanted to know if the rumors were true, but he didn't want to be rude. It wasn't his place to ask, besides, Atem would probably get angry, and he didn't want that. Not when they were just beginning to be friends. So he shook his head and smiled as he answered, "Nope. Whatever you'd like to share."

Atem saw the look in Yugi's eyes and sighed. It wasn't like he could blame him, though. He'd be curious too if their positions were switched. It was probably better that he took care of this now than later, when it could become an even bigger problem. At least this way it wouldn't hurt as much if Yugi said he didn't want to be friends. Atem gazed down at the cards in his hand as he asked quietly, "You know what my reputation is, right?"

"Yeah..." Yugi said as he resisted the urge to shift nervously. He saw the scared look in the other's eyes and quickly continued, "You don't have to tell me if you…"

"It's true."

* * *

><p>Gasp! The tragedy!<p>

Not really.

Don't forget to review!

Jaa!


	4. Explanation and a Tentative Friendship

*very fluffy plot bunny hops across the screen*

Fluffy bunny! *glomps*

Wynter: That's your warning that the chapter contains fluff. Please enjoy.

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><p>An Explanation and a Tentative Friendship<p>

"_Baby it's like we're walking on a wire through the fear. Take my hand, we'll get there." Mat Kearney – "Sooner or Later"_

"It is?" Yugi asked softly as he watched Atem get up and start pacing. The thought that he looked like a caged tiger ran through Yugi's head and he pushed it away. Right now he needed to focus on Atem. Especially since the other seemed to be aggravated.

"Yes," Atem said as he walked back and forth from one end of Yugi's bed to the other, "But I prefer the term Wiccan to witch. I'll understand if you don't want to talk to me anymore…"

Yugi immediately stood up and stepped into Atem's way, stopping both the older boy's pacing and his speaking. He put his hands on his hips and glared up at Atem sternly, "Atem, I don't care what you believe or practice or whatever. I'd like to be friends with you, regardless of your reputation. You saved my life even though you didn't have to and I want to get to know more about you."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Atem couldn't help but think that Yugi's glare looked more like a pout and that it was extremely cute. He lifted his hand and cupped the smaller one's cheek, his thumb caressing Yugi's skin softly as he asked, "Do you mean that?"

A blush crept up Yugi's face, but he didn't move away from the other. He nodded as he looked up into hopeful crimson eyes, "Yeah…"

Atem couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face as he wrapped his arms around Yugi. The smaller one tensed and froze, his eyes widening. Atem whispered thank you repeatedly in his ear and a tiny smile crossed his face as he relaxed and wrapped his arms around the other as he whispered just as quietly, "You're welcome."

After a few moments, Atem pulled back and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. The two stood there awkwardly for a moment before Yugi turned and plopped down onto his bed. He patted the space next to him as he asked, "Tell me more about being Wiccan?"

Atem sat down on the bed and rubbed the back of his neck as he said, "Umm… I'm not sure where to start…"

"At the beginning?" Yugi asked with a slight smile.

Atem chuckled and glanced sideways at the smaller one. It was his first time telling someone outside of his family about his choice of spirituality. A part of him was excited about it. His parents accepted it, but wasn't really interested. And Seto… he snorted softly. Seto only believed in what he could see, feel, and hear. He was the epitome of an Atheist, not that he would ever admit it, though. He leaned forward, his head down so his bangs were covering his face as he spoke softly, "Wicca is… a way of life, I guess you could say. Anyone who practices Wicca knows that it's more than just waving a wand and having something done for you. It's so much more than that and it takes hard work."

Yugi leaned forward and tilted his head in an effort to look Atem in the face. The other seemed a little tense, and he wondered if it was because he was talking about Wicca or if it was because he was talking about it to him. He frowned. Atem shouldn't be worried about it. Yugi accepted him for who he was, not for whom society said he was supposed to be. And that thought actually made him pause. He barely knew Atem, and yet he accepted Atem completely. He gave a small shoulder shrug. He was a naturally accepting person in general, so it made sense that he would accept Atem as well. He gently set his hand down on the other's shoulder and gave him an encouraging smile when he looked up. Atem smiled back as he thought of something and said, "You know... there are some pretty ridiculous things that people believe about me. Well, not just me, but my kind."

"Oh? What, do you eat babies or something?" Yugi asked as he fought not to smile too big.

Atem jumped up and put a hand on his hip as he motioned wildly with the other, "See, that's exactly what I mean. People think I eat babies. Seriously, who in the world thought that one up is beyond me. I admit, I like to eat meat, but I am not a cannibal. Why on earth would I eat a baby? They're precious and should be treasured."

Yugi couldn't help smiling at Atem. He was talking so passionately and using his hands to make his point. It was kind of amusing. Atem tossed his hands up in the air as he flopped down onto the bed. He stared up at the ceiling as he continued to talk, "And another thing, I can't ride a broom. See, there's this little thing called gravity. It likes to keep my butt on the ground. Sometimes more than my butt, which can be painful. Besides, can you really see me riding a broom?"

The look he gave Yugi made the smaller one burst out laughing. He curled up on his side next to Atem and laughed so hard he ended up holding his stomach. Atem's own laughed joined his for a moment and the two just lay there next to each other laughing. Eventually Yugi's laughter calmed down to giggles and he breathlessly answered, "No, I can't."

Atem nodded as he chuckled and gazed at Yugi. The smaller one blushed and he smirked. Looking back up at the ceiling, he smiled as he said softly, "And I don't use eyes of newts or frog legs or wings of bats. They're actually folk names for common herbs. Not that it matters. I can't make a cup of _tea_ from scratch, let alone use herbs to make a potion. I'd probably end up picking poison ivy for all I'm worth when it comes to that."

Yugi couldn't help himself. He snorted and quickly ducked his head when Atem glared at him half heartedly. The other rolled over onto his elbow and absently plucked at the blanket on Yugi's bed. A lock of his hair fell across his eyes as he said, "There's more, but I won't bore you with it."

"It wouldn't be a bore," Yugi murmured as he unconsciously reached up and brushed the lock back. Atem grabbed his wrist and the two froze, Yugi's fingers softly touching Atem's temple while the other's hand gripped his wrist gently. They stared into each other's eyes. Yugi felt his breath catch in his throat as Atem's eyes darkened to a warm burgundy. It made him seem so much more exotic and mysterious. He licked his suddenly dry lips as a light blush spread across his cheeks. Atem's lips curved into a small smile at the blush and he brushed his thumb across the back of Yugi's hand. The little one looked so cute right then and a part of him vaguely wondered what other kinds of looks he could coax Yugi into making. He slowly nuzzled Yugi's palm, never taking his eyes from Yugi's as he did so. The blush on the smaller one's face intensified as he opened his mouth…

"Yugi, may I come in?"

The two shot away from each other at the voice. Blushes crossed their faces and Atem stood up quickly, almost tripping as he hurried over to the chair by the desk. Yugi forced the blush down as he stood up and headed over to the door. By the time he reached it, Atem was sitting down and tapping his fingers against the desk almost irritably, but Yugi wasn't sure why. He mentally shrugged and opened the door to reveal his mom. She smiled widely at him and Atem as she said, "I was wondering if Atem would like to stay for dinner?"

Yugi turned to look at him just as Atem's head shot up. The two stared at each other for a moment before the little one mouthed the word stay to him. The pleading look in Yugi's eyes made him change his mind and he smiled at Yugi's mom as he said, "Sure, I'd love to."

"Great!" she exclaimed as she clapped her hands once, "It'll be done shortly. Would you set the table, Yugi, please?"

"Yes mom," Yugi said as she turned and walked away. He smiled sheepishly at Atem and said, "I'll be right back."

Atem nodded once and Yugi hurried off down the stairs. The older boy stared at the empty door way for a moment before gazing down at his hand. Just what had happened a few moments ago? His hand still tingled from where he had grabbed Yugi's wrist and it puzzled him. He normally didn't act like that. If anything, he shied away from touch. He didn't like it when people touched him because it was usually to hurt him in some way. But Yugi's touch… he strangely didn't mind. The fleeting touch earlier was gently and tender, not harsh and hurtful. He clenched his hand into a fist as he sighed and shook his head. He wasn't acting normal, he just knew it. Part of him wanted to blame Yugi for getting under his skin so easily, but he knew it wouldn't be fair. It wasn't Yugi's fault that he was so fascinating to the older boy. Atem dropped his head and gave a small laugh, "I'm going insane."

"Well, they say talking to yourself is the first sign," Yugi replied as he appeared in the door way.

Atem's head snapped up and he blinked at the other before comprehending what he said. Once he did, he laughed again and smiled, "I suppose so. Do you think I'm crazy?"

"Nope," Yugi said as he motioned for him to follow. He winked playfully at him as he continued, "Just weird."

"That's the polite way of saying, yes, Atem, I think you're crazy," Atem replied as he rolled his eyes and followed Yugi downstairs.

Yugi merely laughed and led him into the dining room. The two entered just as Yugi's mom was setting a plate full of fried chicken on the table. Yugi sat down in a chair and Atem hesitantly sat down next to him. Yugi's mom finished bringing the food out to the table just as Grandpa came in from the shop. The two sat down and they all started eating dinner quietly. It was a change for Atem since dinner at his house was a loud affair. Everyone talked loudly as they helped themselves and he found the silence to be a bit stifling. Grandpa noticed his discomfort and smiled knowingly as he asked, "So how old are you, Atem?"

"18, sir," Atem replied once he was done chewing a piece of chicken.

Grandpa chuckled as he shook his head, "No need to sir me. Call me Grandpa. Everyone does."

"Okay," he said as he grinned at the older man.

Yugi was the only one to notice his mom stiffen. He mentally groaned and stabbed a carrot slice viciously. He just knew she'd have a problem with something. _Here it comes…_ he thought as he saw her open her mouth.

"You're 18 and in Yugi's grade?" she asked rather coldly.

Atem hung his head as he nodded. Yugi immediately reached under the table and grabbed the other's hand, squeezing softly in encouragement. Atem squeezed back as he said, "My parents traveled a lot when I was in elementary, so I ended up being held back a year."

She gave a small humph and both Yugi and Grandpa sighed. Yugi had hoped that things would go smoothly and without his mother acting up, but of course not. Grandpa forced a smile and asked, "Do you like games, Atem?"

The two launched into a detailed conversation about which games they liked or didn't like. Yugi continued to glare at his mother as he stabbed his food harshly. She merely raised an eyebrow at him and his glare intensified. He loved his mother, he really did. But he hated it when she acted like she was better than everyone else. This wasn't the first time she had acted this way. When he had brought over potential friends, she acted this way. The only one she acted friendly around was Tea, and that was probably because Tea acted the same way she did. He instantly felt bad. Tea wasn't a bad person. She was nice to everyone, Atem excluding, but she did have a way of making others feel less important than her. He felt his hand squeezed again and he glanced over at Atem. The other smiled gently at him, reassuring him without words that everything was okay. He nodded and went back to eating his food. The rest of dinner passed without anymore complications and soon it was time for Atem to head home. The two stood in the doorway as he put his coat on and grabbed his bag.

"I'm sorry about earlier," Yugi said softly.

"Don't worry about it," Atem said with a shake of his head, "I've gotten worse."

"Still…" he protested.

Atem placed a finger over Yugi's lips, cutting off whatever else he was going to say as he said, "Don't worry about it. I'm fine, okay? She could have done worse, after all."

"True…" Yugi agreed reluctantly.

The two headed over to the door and just before Atem opened the door, he turned to Yugi and asked, "Would you… would you like to come over to my house tomorrow? I can tell you more about Wicca if you're interested."

"I'd love to," Yugi replied with a large smile.

"Okay. See you tomorrow," Atem said as he grinned at the smaller one. He opened the door and dashed off into the night.

"See you…" Yugi murmured softly as he watched the other's disappearing back. After a few moments, he shut the door and headed back up to his room with a silly smile on his face.

* * *

><p>Talk about being stuck up.<p>

Anywho...

Don't forget to review!

Jaa!


	5. Fear

Yay! Finally got this one finished! I did not expect this one to turn out the way it did. As usual, the story went the complete opposite of the way I originally planned. I do like this chapter though.

I do NOT own Yugioh. If I did, it would not have ended the way it did.

Enjoy!

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><p>Underneath a Silver Moon<p>

Fear

"_I will never let you fall… I'll be there for you through it all…" Your Guardian Angel – The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus_

Yugi tossed and turned on his bed, soft whimpers escaping his throat as the nightmare gripped his mind. A slight sheen of sweat covered his brow as he kicked out at an unseen assailant. The nightmare turned for the worse and he bolted upright with a soft cry of fright. His violet eyes looked around wildly in search of that which plagued his dreams, and upon recognizing his own bedroom, he slowly began to relax. His blankets were tangled around his ankles and he roughly kicked them off. Standing up shakily, he left his room and headed towards the bathroom. The last tendrils of fear gripped his heart as he stared at his reflection in the mirror.

Pale bruises were visible in the soft light and he winced as he ran a finger over a particularly bad one. Memories of Ushio pinning him down and hurting him filled his mind and he shuddered in fear. Rushing from the bathroom, he darted back to his own bedroom and quickly got changed. Scribbling a note for his grandfather, he grabbed his house keys and ran out of the house. He didn't have any real plan on where he was going, all he knew is he didn't want to fight the urge to run.

Tears streamed down his cheeks as he tripped and fell with a small cry onto the sidewalk. He wept as he got back up and continued running. His fear pushed him onward through Domino's streets until at last he reached the park. He disregarded the park time limits and ran through its darkened paths as sobs escaped his lungs. The trees were blurry through his tears and he darted off of the safety of the path through branches thick with leaves as he ran. Wood scraped against his bare arms like clawing fingers, but he ignored the pain. Breaking through the captivating branches, he abruptly stopped when he came to the edge of the lake.

He bent down and hugged his knees as he continued to cry; his fear and despair overwhelming him so much that he didn't hear the crack of a twig being snapped behind him. He was completely oblivious to everything around him thanks to his anguish. He almost didn't hear his name being called from behind him, "Yugi?"

In his fright, he whirled around to glimpse concerned ruby eyes before his footing failed him and he fell backwards towards the water. The lake was deep, even up to the shore, and he landed in the water with a large splash. He floundered in the water for moments, trying desperately to swim to the surface before he felt a hand grab his wrist and pull him into strong arms. The two surfaced and he coughed up the water he swallowed. Blinking water out of his eyes, he looked up at the one who rescued him as he asked, "Atem?"

"Are you okay?" the older boy's voice washed over him and he burst out into fresh tears as he clung to the other's soaked shirt. Atem awkwardly pulled him towards the shore and helped him climb out. He was barely out of the water himself when Yugi threw himself back at him, sobbing desperately into his chest. The two sat there with Atem whispering soft nonsense as the younger boy cried.

Eventually his tears dried up and he sat there, still in Atem's arms as he hiccupped softly. It was strange, but being around the other boy calmed his rattled nerves and he sagged against him. He hardly knew him and he knew people would freak if they knew he was willingly sitting in a witch's arms, but he didn't care. He felt _safe._ For the first time since waking up, he felt protected. Atem pulled back slightly to look down into weary eyes as he asked softly, "What are you doing out here, Yugi?"

"I had a nightmare," he said softly as he closed his eyes. He fought against the threatening memories of both his nightmare and what happened at the school, "I dreamt of what Ushio did to me and I couldn't stay home. I ran."

"It's going to be okay, Yugi," Atem whispered as he hugged the smaller boy. Hatred for Ushio welled up into his heart and he glared over Yugi's shoulder at a tree. He thanked every deity he knew that the bully was already in jail. If he wasn't… shaking his head softly, he continued, "Ushio is in jail, Yugi. He won't be able to hurt you ever again."

Yugi took deep breaths as Atem's words washed over him again. He repeated those words in his mind over and over again. Ushio would never be able to hurt him ever again. Relief flowed through him and he sagged, his forehead resting against Atem's chest. The older boy merely squeezed him softly once again as he said, "I thought it wasn't bothering you?"

"I thought so too, but…" he shook his head slightly. He wasn't as unaffected by it as he previously thought he was if a nightmare was enough to send him running from his own home. Granted, Ushio couldn't hurt him while he was home, but he still panicked at the thought of what happened. Sighing softly, he said, "I guess not."

"It's only natural," Atem said as Yugi pulled away from him and the two sat side by side next to the lake. Thankfully it was still summer time, so the night was warm and the breeze barely there. They were wet, but not cold, and that was a small miracle. Gazing across the lake, he continued, "You were almost raped and killed by him. I'm surprised it took this long for it to affect you."

"I was in shock," Yugi said softly, but not soft enough. Atem still heard him and nodded his head. It fit. Shock would keep him from feeling the panic and distress the entire ordeal put him through. It was a decision anyone would come to, especially with the way Yugi was acting. The two were silent for a moment before Yugi asked, "What are you doing out here?"

Atem tilted his head up and looked at the stars. Even though they were in the city, the stars were still rather bright. Of course, they were in the park surrounded by trees where no light was reaching them for the most part. His eyes searched for constellations that he could remember as he replied, "I had a gut feeling I should be here tonight, and I tend to listen to those kinds of things. It was probably a good thing, too."

Yugi nodded, accepting the reason for what it was. He had no reason to doubt Atem. That and being who the other was it didn't surprise him that he knew to be at the park right when Yugi was running through it. Perhaps it was being a witch that let Atem know all of that, he thought. Frowning softly, he asked, "But how did you find me?"

"I was just inside the park when I saw you running and followed. Figured there was probably a good reason why you suddenly decided to go for a fast pace, panicked run in the middle of the night," he replied with a shrug. He actually was standing next to one of his favorite trees, an old oak when he saw Yugi run past as if he were being chased. He gave no thought to it when he took off at a run and followed the younger boy through the dense trees to the lake. The only thing he slightly regretted was scaring the poor kid into falling into the lake. He didn't mean to do that.

Yugi looked up at the sky and watched the twinkling stars for a moment. Several thoughts whirled around in his mind as he watched them twinkle in and out of sight, but there was always one that stayed in the forefront of his mind. He finally decided to voice it out loud, realizing that the only way he was going to figure the answer out was to ask, "Why do I feel safe with you? We hardly know one another."

Atem didn't say anything for several moments. He pondered the question with a seriousness that to anyone else his age would be completely out of character. But then again, he wasn't quite like everyone else his age. He gazed out over the dark waters of the lake, the stars and distant city lights reflecting off of its shimmering surface. There was no easy answer to Yugi's question. How was he supposed to explain something that he himself didn't quite understand? Sighing softly, he replied, "I'm not sure, Yugi. Why am I fascinated with you? We've spent every year since Elementary school going to the same place day after day, hardly speaking a word to each other. Yet now here we are."

Yugi nodded his head as he looked down at the ground near his feet. It wasn't hard to understand what Atem was trying to say. The two knew of each other's existence for many years, and yet it took an act that Ushio did to get them to talk more than just a couple of words to each other. He couldn't understand why now all of a sudden that this was happening. He couldn't explain the curiosity that he felt whenever he was around him. The need to know more about the one who saved him, to hear his voice and to feel his touch…

Turning his head, he gazed at Atem as he stared out at the lake. The wind ruffled through the branches above their heads and he watched as it stirred the tri-colored hair of the one he was watching… so very similar and yet so vastly different. He was the softness to Atem's harshness. Where his hair was gentle, tamed, and amethyst in nature, Atem's seemed more striking, wild, and crimson. Without realizing it, his hand reached out and gently threaded his fingers into the other's hair, marveling at the softness he felt.

Atem turned his head and gazed at Yugi at the touch. He felt like he was going to drown in that intense gaze as it held his own, and the younger one shivered softly as he whispered into the quietness of the night, "What is this, Atem? What's happening?"

"I don't know," came the immediate, hushed response. It seemed the quietness of the night and the conversation they were having was affecting them both. Neither boy wanted to break the powerful spell they were feeling at the moment. Atem's hand came up and brushed over Yugi's pale cheek as he murmured, "Does it scare you?"

Yugi didn't say anything as he leaned into the other's touch. He still couldn't explain why or how this was happening, but the connection was too strong. He wanted to know what this was, to explore what was happening between them. Things like Atem's reputation and lack of friends suddenly seemed trivial in light of what he was feeling at that moment. His eyes stayed locked on the other's as he whispered, "Yes… but I know you won't hurt me. You'll keep me safe."

"Always," Atem vowed, not knowing just how much he would come to mean those words in the future. In the few short days since that incident, Yugi had become precious to him and there was no way he was going to let the smaller one come to harm if he could help it. He would do whatever it took to keep Yugi safe… and that was a vow he made not just in word, but with his whole heart.

If he had known then what was to come in the future, he might not have made that vow so easily. After all, magick works in baffling ways and sometimes… sometimes it took what you meant with all of your heart and made it real… and that was the most beautiful and dangerous part about magick. It could work for you… and sometimes against you.

The watch on Atem's wrist broke through the enchantment they found themselves wrapped in as it beeped and both boys snapped their gazes to his wrist. 1 a.m. read clearly on the face and Yugi gave a small sigh as he let his hand slowly slid from the other's hair with a small whisper, "I should go home… it's very late."

Atem nodded his head as he dropped his hand from Yugi's face and slowly stood up. Despite the watch beeping and breaking them out of their intense stare, the spell they felt themselves under seemed to continue even just a little bit as he held his hand out to the smaller one and murmured softly, "I'll walk you home."

Yugi gave him a small smile as he slid his hand into the other's and allowed himself to be pulled up. He wasn't able to explain it, but whatever it was that was happening between them… he didn't want it to end. It just felt so _right_. He didn't even blink when Atem let go of his hand and instead wrapped his arm around his shoulders, leading him back up to the path from the lake and out of the park. The walk home was relatively silent, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Both boys were content to just enjoy the small contact and the quietness of the early morning hours. It wasn't long before they reached the game shop and the two turned to face each other as they smiled a little awkwardly.

"Say, do you know the arcade a couple of streets over? It's next to the burger place," Atem said as his hand slid down to catch Yugi's in his own, his thumb brushing over the back of the other's hand. He briefly marveled at how silky Yugi's skin felt to the touch as he waited for him to reply.

"Of course," Yugi said with an eager smile on his face. He loved going to both places. Of course, he usually ended up going alone since his only friend wasn't really into playing games and rarely did they have time to go have a burger together, even though he offered plenty of times to play. He nodded his head as he said, "I go to both places a lot."

"Why don't we meet there around 4 tomorrow after school lets out? That way I can show you where I live and we can talk, perhaps play another game of duel monsters…" Atem's voice held a hopeful note as he tilted his head, a golden lock of hair slipping across his face as he gazed down at Yugi, eyes pleading for him to say yes.

"I would love that," Yugi said quietly, a light blush gracing his cheeks. It sounded like a date in his mind, but he knew they were just meeting up as friends… that still came across as weird to him, them being friends. The two were opposites in most ways, and yet despite that they seemed to get along better than he had with anyone before. Swallowing his nervousness, he stood up on his tip toes and pressed a kiss to Atem's cheek as he whispered before darting inside the game shop, "Good night, Atem…"

Atem stood there for several moments with his hand pressed to his cheek as he stared dazed at the closed door. He wasn't expecting that and the blush that flushed his face was rather dark He looked down at the ground with a silly smile on his face before turning around as he murmured softly before walking off into the night, "Good night… Yugi."

* * *

><p>Oh, look. Lots of fluff!<p>

Hope you liked it. Don't forget to review!

Jaa!


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